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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
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The Library of Congress 



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The Little King 



BY THE SAME AUTHOR 

AN ODE TO HARVARD 

TIGER 

THE LITTLE KING 



The Little King 

by WITTER BYNNER 



NEW YORK 

MITCHELL KENNERLEY 

1914 



COPYRIGHT 1914 BY 
MITCHELL KENNEELEY 






L.^ 



\V^ 



Acting rights reserved by the author 
W4 



atP 29 1914 



To 

Homer and Car lot a Saint-Gaudens 
And 'Their Little Boy 



The Little King 



Time: The morning of October i6, 1793* 

Scene: In the Temple at Paris: a room in 
which is imprisoned Louis XVII, the Boy -King 
of France, under the tutelage of Antoine Simeon 
and his wife, Jeanne Marie. 

Behind a large iron-barred door at the back 
is an anteroom from which one staircase de- 
scends to the courtyard and another ascends to 
a platform on the roof of the Temple. A 
closed door leads at the left into a bedroom. 
Near it stands an elaborate bird-cage in which 
a wooden canary moves when wound up and 
whistles '^ The March of the Kingf^ In the 
cage are also some live canaries, one of which 
has a red ribbon round its neck. A small barred 
window at the right overlooks the courtyard. 
Under it are a box of mortar and some 
squared stones, one or two of which have al- 

:7 



8 The Little King 

ready been set into the window. Nearby is a 
table, a cupboard of dishes and on the floor 
a basket of soiled linen. 

At rise of the curtain, Jeanne Marie, with 
a dish in her hand, stands by a larger table 
where three people have just finished a light 
meal. She is a squat woman of fifty with 
thick features and a blotched face. While she 
clears the table, she talks with Barelle, appar- 
ently a middle-aged stonemason, who is mix- 
ing mortar with his trowel near the windoiik 

Jeanne 

[As she carries soiled dishes into the ante- 
room^ 

What? — Block the door and shut out all the 
light? 

Barelle 

The window first and afterward both doors. 
A grating left there for his meals, but not 
An aperture for light or hope or mercy. 

Jeanne 

Ah, but the chumps have chosen you to do 
The job! Luck's with us, Citizen Barelle. 



The Little King 5j 

Barelle 

You mean God's with us. God himself, 

not they, 
Selected me, — to be His Instrument. 

Jeanne 

There's damnable divinity in gold. 
You be the God. I'll be the instrument. 

Barelle 

[Removing from the window a cross-shaped 

iron bar^ 

O Father, prove Thy greatness to these 

people 
That have turned coward toward a little 

boy. 
Son of the King they killed ! O Lord, reach 

down 
Thy hand to us ! For Jesus' sake, Thy Son, 
Give me Thy strength to save the Son of 

France ! 

Jeanne 

[Seizing the iron har'\ 

Here's holy water for your crucifix. 

[She spits on it and throws it on the fioor'\ 



lo The Little King 

Barelle 

God pity you. — By noon I shall be back 
And I shall bring the boy. Does the King 
know ? 

Jeanne 

Leave that to me. You fetch the other King. 
And, please, the puppy-dog has learned his 

change 
Of name. Not King, not Louis any more! 
Just call him Capet and he'll wag his tail 
With quite remarkable intelHgenQe. 

Barelle 

How are you going to manage with Michel? 

Jeanne 

Michel relieves the other guard at noon. 
As soon as he's alone he'll signal us. 

Barelle 

Your husband 



Jeanne 

Leave my husband to your God I 
Leave everything to God — except His Im* 
age; 



The Little King ii 

Soon as the coin comes round — leave that 

to me; 
And while weVe talking — what about the 

coin? 

Barelle 

One payment now. The rest as we agreed. 

Jeanne 

God in three parts! And one part now! 
Come pay it! 

Barelle 

[Taking from inside his blouse a hag of 
gold, which he hands to her^ 
And you at noon pay me my King! 
[Exit Barelle] 

Jeanne 

[ To the hag of gold] 

Sweet God! 
[She kisses it, then hides it in her sewing- 
hasket on the small table. Humming a snatch 
of the Marseillaise, she throws open the bed- 
room door and calls through it with her 
arms akimbo] 



12 The Little King 

Capet, your eyes are red. Go scrub your 

face. 
Make it all red like a washerlady^s son. 

The King 

\_A boy of nine, his voice heard outside^ 
I am a Queen's son! 

Jeanne 

Times have changed, my dear, 
And Marie Antoinette has handkerchiefs 
To wash, she cries so much. Her nose now 

looks 
Like anyone's and gets as red as mine. 

The King 
It is not red. 

Jeanne 

Go make yours red, Capet! 
For you're to be a washerlady's son 
This very day. — Sh-h ! Don't you tell An- 

toine ! 
[She hears him on his way upstairs singing 
a revolutionary chant. She quickly closes the 



The Little King 13 

bedroom door and turns toward the ante- 
room where Antoine Simon enters. He is 
a hig shoemaker of fifty-five^ with straight 
black hair hanging long and a swarthy brut- 
ish face. He carries aloft two bottles of 
brandy^ 

Antoine 

Fve brought two friends with me. 

Jeanne 

[Seizing a corkscrew^ 

Off with their heads! 

Antoine 

Let go my friends! I bring 'em here like 

this 
And you — you murder 'em ! You used to be 
A stylish drinker, Jeanne Marie. But now 
You're an old soak. 

Jeanne 

Only a soak would talk 
Like that. I taste my glass the same as ever. 
It's you who booze like a lout and waste a 

lot 
On Capet, just to make the poor brat drunk. 



14 The Little King 

Antoine 

You're keen to see him caper round, yourself. 
But you don't pay your share. You get two- 
thirds 
As much as me for staying in this hole 
And you never spend a sou. 
[He sits and changes his boots for slippers^ 

Jeanne 

[Carrying dishes from table to cupboard^ 

The nation takes 
Good care of you, husband, — also of me : 
Six thousand livres your share, four thou- 
sand mine. 

Antoine 

A patriotic cobbler and his wife 
Cooped up like marquises ! 

Jeanne 

You make me sick, 
Talking like that about ten thousand livres. 
You don't know what you want, you lucky 
fool. 



The Little King 15 

Antoine 

Know what I want? I want to be let off 
From tutoring Capet. But let me off 
They won't. They've got me here. And 

here I stick 
And rot. It's bad for the brain, that's 

what it is. 
Capet's much luckier than we are, Jeanne, 
For he has us, he has, for company, 
But we have only him. 

IThe King, a handsome, gentle hoy, appears 
at the bedroom door. Antoine hurls his hoot 
at the King~\ 

Get out of here! 

[The King looks calmly at them hoth, then 
returns into the bedroom. Jeanne Marie 
closes the door after him} 

Jeanne 

[In a superstitious whisper"] 
He looked at me as my boy Raymond did. 
He looked at me as my dead Raymond 
did. 



1 6 The Little King 

Antoine 

Forget your Raymond! Capet isn't Ray- 
mond. 

Jeanne 

YouVe sore because he waked you up last 
night. 

Antoine 

With his damn prayers! I fixed him good. 

He'll not 
Be trying Trappist tricks on me again. 

Jeanne 
[An^rily'l 

Yes, fixed him good and maybe fixed your- 
self. 
Doused him with water, let him lie between 
The icy sheets and shiver all night long! 
What if he's caught his death? 

Antoine 

What did they say 
When I asked 'em, the Committee, about 
Capet, 



The Little King 17 

Whether they wanted me to poison him? 
They said, ' Well, don't you let him grow too 

much! ' 
Wife dear, what did they mean? 

Jeanne 

They meant, ' Don't add 
A cubit to his stature, — cut him short, 
But not too short! ' They know their busi- 
ness best. 
Why do you suppose they send a mason 
here? 

Antoine 

Barelle, you mean? 

Jeanne 

To seal that window ug. 

Antoine 

Make bats of us? 

Jeanne 

No, not of us. Of him ! 
They're going to block the door and lock 
him in. 



1 8 The Little King 

Antoine 

And lock us out? 

Jeanne 

We'll feed him through a hole 
Cut here and talk to him an hour a day. 

Antoine 
On what? 

Jeanne 

On Liberty. 

Antoine 

Woman, he'll Hve 
For years. 

Jeanne 

O no, my dove, he's delicate. 

Antoine 

But I've a mind to do for him today 
And end this job. 

Jeanne 

You're good at jokes about 



The Little King 19 

Our Lady Guillotine. She might arrange 
A joke on you. And, citizen, I fear 
You wouldn't laugh so well without your 
mouth. 

Antoine 

Well, I don't see who'd care about a Capet. 

Jeanne 

Because they had no use for Louis Capet? 

Because they say about the Austrian, 

" Why does she ask for cake, when there is 

dust 
To eat"? But people have soft hearts. 

They might 
Forgive the boy his dirty breed, Antoine. 
A child's a child, no matter from what stock. 
Besides France has her enemies abroad 
Who call the whelp a king. France has her 

game 
To play. And this one Louis — see? — this 

poor 
Thin undecipherable piece may be 
A lucky coin. I grasp it all so clearly. 
And I tell you, Antoine, clever as you are, 



20 The Little King 

When the Council General sent the Simons 

here, 
They put their trust as a matter of fact — 

in me. 

Antoine 

You put your trust in your four thousand 

livres 
All right, but drink your brandy on my pay. 
On the six thousand which they give to me 
For being less important than my wife. 

Jeanne 

A child's head looks ridiculous on a pike. 

Antoine 

No, it looks cute. 

Jeanne 

Hey, Antoine, listen! Drums. 

Antoine 

Some one they've got to guillotine, I guess. 

Jeanne 

The roof, the platform ! Call if you can see ! 



The Little King 21 

Antoine 

I'll bet you first it's Marie Antoinette. 

Jeanne 

An end of her? Not on your life, my dear I 
If it were women trying her, then yes. 
But this Tribunal? Men, Antoine? Not 
much I 

Antoine 

Justice decides and Justice is a female! 

Jeanne 

They'll feast for days upon those dainty eyes 
Before the garbage goes. If she's a beauty — 
I hope I'm not. 

Antoine 

You're not. 

Jeanne 

Trust her with men? 
She's got you, all of you, just where you're 

weak — 
She'd charm the hind leg off the Lamb o* 
God! 



22 The Little King 

Antoine 

Bet me the brandy on it? — the cost of the 
brandy? 

Jeanne 

Double the cost ! It's not the Widow Capet. 

Antoine 

\^At the window^ 

I'll ask Michel. He'll know. He's just 
come on. 

Jeanne 

O husband, how I wish the Guillotine 

Was near, where we could watch, to cheer 

us up! 
In seven weeks I haven't seen one head. 
[Antoine goes upstairs through the ante- 
room, Jeanne Marie rapidly takes a piece 
of soiled linen and wrapping her hag of 
money tightly so that it shall not jingle, lays 
the bundle aside on the little table. Then 
she enters the anteroom and calls to her hus- 
band^ 
Who wins, Antoine? 



The Little King 23 

Antoine 
[Outside] 

I do! I win! 

Jeanne 

The Queen? 

Antoine 
[Enterinffl 
I heard 'em shouting, " Death to Madam 

Veto!" 
At noon they'll split her like an angle worm ! 
Hustle him out. I've news for him. 

Jeanne 

No, no, 
Not yet — he's sick! And when his father 

croaked 
He wouldn't eat, was like to die himself. 
Go easy, Antoine, for he's off his feed. 
You don't know what might happen. This'U 

keep. 
You'll have the fun. I'll not sneak in ahead. 

Antoine 

The brandy, open it. No, pay me first ! 



24 The Little King 

[He opens a bottle. She reluctantly pays 
him, taking the money from her stocking~\ 
I tell you what we'll do. We'll make him 

drink. 
And then we'll make him dance, dance to the 

bells, 
The bells that ring when they lift up her 

head! 
That's one on you, old girl! Now fetch 

the brat. 
We'll celebrate. 

Jeanne 

[Opening the door'\ 

Capet! Aristocrat! 

Antoine 

What are you doing? Eating up those pears 
You took from lunch so's not to eat with us ? 
Come out here! Join your betters! 

Jeanne 

Careful now! 
[The King enters from the bedroom. He 
has in his hands two pears, which he lays 
on a chair. Jeanne Marie intercepts An- 
toine^ 



The Little King 25 

Come here, Capet, I want to tell you some- 
thing : 
A caller's coming-— Citizen Barelle. 



The King 




You told me 


that. 


Antoine 




You like him, don't you? 


The King 




No. 




Antoine 




You do, you 


little liar. 


The King 




No, : 


I don't. 


Antoine 




Why do you 


He to me?i 


The King 




I do 


not like him. 



26 The Little King 

Jeanne 

Have you forgotten that he brought you 

these? 
You like your birds, you ought to Hke him 
too. 

The King 

\^After a pause'] 

But if I did, they would not let him come. 

Antoine 

Your tutor, Simon, never goes away. 
They let him come. 

Jeanne 

YouVe fond of him, ain't you? 

Antoine 

Come, answer us! You love me, don't you? 

The King 

Yes. 

Antoine 

You little liar! 

The King 

Why do you ask me then? 



The Little King 27 

Jeanne 

D'you like me, Capet? 

The King 

Where's my Mama-Queen? 
She isn't walking up there any more. 
I listen and I listen. Is she sick? 
Where have they taken her? 

Antoine 

Don't use that word! 

Jeanne 

Don't you say Queen! Your tutor doesn't 
like it. 

The King 

Where is she gone? 

Jeanne 

She's sick. 

The King 

I thought she was. 
O can't I go to her? Please can't I go 
To her? 



2 8 The Little King 

Jeanne 

Not much I 

The King 

Then can't I send her these? 
O can't I? Can't I send her my canaries? 

Jeanne 

You haven't heard that Citizen Barelle 
Will bring Robert, the washerwoman's boy, 
To stay a little while and play with you? 

The King 

Master, let me send her my canaries? 

Antoine 

Sit down. We're going to celebrate. Three 

glasses ! 
[^Jeanne Marie brings the glasses^ 

The King 

1 do not care for one. 

Antoine 

Sit down, I say! 
Here's to the Guillotine! Pick up your 
glass. 



The Little King 29 

{^The King draws back^ 
Do you want it down your neck? The Guil- 
lotine ! 
And my good-luck ! Come on now. 
[^Antoine and Jeanne Marie drink, then he 
makes the King drink^ 

The King 

What good-luck? 

Jeanne 

{^PFith a moment of pity] 

It's better luck than you would understand. 

Antoine 

I won a bet, young man. I won that wine. 

Jeanne 

And it's a happy day in the Republic I 

The King 

If it's a really happy day, I'm glad. 

Antoine 

Then drink to France! — Our Lady Guillo- 

• tine 

Drinks blood today to France ! 



30 The Little King 

The King 

Who is it now? 

Jeanne 

[^Preventing Antoine from tellingly 

People you know who used to be at Court. 

Antoine 

There's no more Court. 

The King 

O dear, why do they kill 
Good people, — -only good, kind people? 
Why? 

Antoine 

Dunno. They have a funny way with them. 
They'll take me next. 

The King 

They'll never take you. Master. 

Antoine 

Ain't you the little joker! Catch your ball! 
Why don't you hold your hands out, blun- 
derhead? 
Can't even learn to catch a ball ! We'll see 



The Little King 31 

If you can sing. You know ! Your favorite ! 
[He sings, Jeanne Marie joining him^ 
Madam Veto thought she could 
Make all Paris run with blood; 
But it didn't come off, 
Thanks to a cough — 
(Dance, dance the Carmagnole!) 
Thanks to a cough — 
Of the cannon! 
Put spirit in it, Capet. Now! Pipe up! 

The King 

" Madam Veto thought she " O no, no I 

I cannot sing that song. 

Antoine 

Why not? 

The King 

Because 
You mean my Mother. And it isn't true. 
She hasn't done them any harm. She loves 
Her people. Mother does. 

Antoine 

She loves her wolves, 



32 The Little King 

Her Austrians! Her people aren't the 
French. 

The King 

Her people are the French. She told me so, 

Antoine 

You going to sing? 

OThe King 

How can I sing it, Master? 
I cannot sing bad songs about my Mother. 

Antoine 

You sang it yesterday. 

The King 

Master, I didn't. 

Antoine 

Didn't he, Jeanne Marie? 

Jeanne 

Of course he did. 

The King 
I didn't. 



The Little King 33 

Antoine 

Little fool, you don't know what 
You do. Get drunk. Here, get a jag and 

sing 
Again. You're jolly when you're drunk. To 
France ! 

The King 

O no, no, no ! — not if I sang that song ! 
What if my Mother heard me sing that 
song? 

Antoine 

She's heard you sing it! Sure she has! It's 

done 1 

Her good, shown her how well I keep my 

word: 
* He shall receive a royal education ; 
We shall instruct him to forget the past 
And only to remember he's a child 
Of the one and indivisible Republic' 
You sing your song. You won't? Then 

take this drink. 
The young wolf shuts his teeth. See, Jeanne 

Marie, 



34 The Little King 

What savage little teeth! He must be 

tamed. 
Where's there a knife to pry them open 

with? 
We'll cure his pride. Now will you sing 

that song? 
Down on your knees ! Learn this — — ^ 

Jeanne 

Let him alone. 

Antoine 

Obedience comes first in Simon's course. 

JiHe forces the King to the floor^ 

Open your mouth. Drink this. Well then, 

try this, 
Try this I 

Jeanne 

Antoine ! Give me that knife ! 
[She takes it from him} 

Antoine 

Get up. 
[^He roughly lifts the motionless King} 
Open your mouth and say you ask my pardon 



The Little King 35 

And we'll postpone the music-lesson. What? 
Won't talk? 

[Jeanne Marie turns toward the anteroom, 
where Bare lie enters, followed by Robert ^ 
who, looking like the King in height, color 
and feature, brings a basket of clean clothes 
and a bouquet of roses tied with the tricolor. 
They see Antoine about to strike the King 
with the cross-shaped iron bar~\ 

Barelle 

You dog ! Is that good tutelage ? 

Jeanne 

For insolence it is ! 

Antoine 

The little snob, 
I couldn't make him drink the health of 
France ! 

The King 

(Grasping the glass) 

You lie I — To France! 

[As he holds the brandy high and then 

drinks, the bells ring out} 



26 The Little King 

Jeanne 

The bells! 

Antoine 

She's dead! She's dead! 
The holiday! The Carmagnole! She's 
dead! 

The King 

What do you say? I'm dizzy. France is 
dead? 

Jeanne 

France that was crucified — has come to life 1 

Antoine 

The resurrection! Dance, my darling, 

dance ! 
[They start singing the Marseillaise and 
take his hands'\ 

The King 

No! — not to that tune! Wait and I will 

dance. 
{He breaks away and turns on the catch 
which setsJhe toy canary whistling^ 



The Little King 37 

ril dance to my tune, mine I — The March 

of the King! 
{^Jeanne Marie turns of the catch^ 

Barelle 

{^Interposing between Antoine^s anger and 

the King'] 

Go slowly, Citizen, to cure a King. 

The lilies flourished for a thousand years. 

Uprooting them takes time. 

Jeanne 

Well, — time takes root. 

Barelle 

How are your birds, Capet? 

Antoine 

They sing, but he? — 
He has the pip! 

Barelle 

{Crossing to work at the window] 

I left an officer 
Behind me on the stairs whose legs were 
weak 



38 The Little King 

With too much holiday. He's bound, he 

says, 
' To mourn the dead with Citizen Simon.' 

Jeanne 

[Handing Antoine the bottle and glasses'] 
Here ! Comfort him ! The platform's pleas- 

anter. 
[While Barelle fits a stone into the window, 
Jeanne Marie sees Antoine out and closes 
the heavy door after him] 

The King 

[Politely to Jeanne Marie] 
He doesn't understand about the window. 
You said that he was going to mend the 
window. 

Jeanne 

That's what he's doing. There were holes 
in it. 

Barelle 

Let's see which one is taller of you boys. 
[They measure back to back] 



The Little King 39 

Robert 

We're just the same. 

The King 

Why, yes, we're just the same. 
[Receiving from Robert the bunch of roses^ 
Thank you, Robert. 

Robert 

I thought you'd like them. Look I 
Look underneath the roses, — look at this! 

The King 

My flower, my flower! 

Barelle 

A lily for the King. 
\_The King kisses the lily and hides it again 
under the roses^ 

The King 

Sir, you've been kind to me both times you've 

come. 
Last time you brought me my canary-birds. 
I have not anything to give to you 
But these two pears which I have saved from 

lunch. 



40 The Little King 

And, just because I am so poor, I beg 
That you will please me, sir, by taking one. 
And will you take the other one, Robert ! 

Barelle 

I thank your Majesty. 

Jeanne 

Get up! Don't call 
Him that. It isn't done. YouVe right, 

they are 
As like as peas. Listen to me, Capet. 
Take off your things. Put on Robert's. 

The King 

What for? 

Jeanne 

[0« guard near the big door'} 
You're going to be Robert. Obey Barelle, 
Do everything he says. For, if you don't, 
They'll kick you, whip you and cut off your 
head. 

Barelle 

You'll come with me? 



The Little King 41 

The King 

I'll go with you and do 
Just what you tell me to. But afterwards 
They'll punish me. 

Barelle 

You do not understand. 
We are your friends. We come to free you, 
Sire. 

The King 

My Mother too? — ^my Mother? 

Barelle 

Where you go. 
The Queen shall follow you. Be sure of 
that. 

The King 

Then take me to her! That will make me 
sure, 

Barelle 

Robert, your coat! 

[Robert takes off his coat and waits by the 

bedroom door^ 



42 The Little King 

The King 

I think you are my friend. 

Jeanne 

[Showing and patting her bundle'] 
He's counted out the proof of it in cash. 
He's paid me money. Think of it, for you ! — 
A little piece of rotten meat like you ! 

Barelle 

[To Jeanne Marie] 

You are the rotten meat I purchased! 

Jeanne 

Pooh! 
Don't wave your crest at me, old cockatoo ! 

The King 

You mean that you have had to pay for me ? 

Robert 

Come quick, for we must change our clothes, 
you know. 

The King 

[To Robert, in the doorway] 

Mother will look at me that funny way 



The Little King 43 

And not know which to do, to laugh or cry, 
And not do either — but just look at me. 
Doesn't your mother look at you like that? 

Robert 

Come, little King, and change our clothes. 

The King 

Mine does. 
[He follows Robert into the bedroom^ 

Barelle 

You'll watch the door? 



Jeannj 

[Opening^^ihe-big door a crack^ 

The platform-stairway creaks. 
I always hear him coming. 

Barelle 

[Looking through the window^ 
What? — Two guards? 

Jeanne 

We'll have to wait till Michel's there alone, 

Before you start. 

[She sits and sews listening by the big door] 



44 The Little King 

> '^■— — — — ^— — — ^ 

Barelle 

[^Setting another stone in place^ watching^ 
I wish that you had told Antoine. 

Jeanne 

Tm no such fool. I know Antoine. 
He would have shilly-shallied half-a-year. 
Antoine's a coward. If I do the thing, 
Saving him all the pains and half the cash, 
He'll thank me when it's done. I know 
Antoine. 

Barelle 

He may come down. 

Jeanne 

Then let me manage him. 
Bottle him up again and think for him 
And act for him, — and put a sum away 
With which to make him love me by-and-by. 

Barelle 

How little you have learned from our mis- 
take! 
You care for him by caring for his money 



The Little King 45 

As we took care of you by keeping yours. — 
There would have been no need of blood 

and tears, 
If only my poor friends had counted well 
And learned the deadly peril of too much 
And dared to be contented with enough. 

Jeanne 

Enough is not enough and never will be. 
I tell you, Citizen, there's no such thing 
As coin enough. Look at the two of us ! — 
You've had too much and you philosophize. 
IVe had too little and I kick up hell. 
But those who have enough — lie in their 

graves. 
Too much, too little — life! Enough — the 

end. 

\^The boys enter, each in the other^s clothes. 

The King has Roberts liberty cap in his 

hand^ 

/ 
The King 

I have on everything. But not the cap I 

Jeanne 

Put that on too. No matter where you go, 



46 The Little King 

You'll never wear a crown in France again. 
Put that on too, my darling Citizen. 
\_The King still holds it in his hand^ 

Barelle 

Run back again, if anyone should come, 
And change the jackets — that would do. 

Jeanne 

And then 
Come out again like you'd been playing ball. 
Here, Capet, take it, have it in your pocket. 
When Michel's by himself, Barelle, don't 

wait 
To talk. Just go. See, Capet, there's your 

load. 
I've lightened it, — so's not to strain your 

wings. 
\_She sits and sews again by the big door. 
The King tries the weight of the basket^ 
then lays it down and stands watching Rob- 
ert. Presently he takes Robert by the hand 
and leads him to the cage of canaries^ 

The King 
[Softly] 
I like the one you gave me best of all. 



The Little King 47 

My toy canary sings ' The March of the 

King' 
And the one you gave me tries to copy him. 

[They sit on the floor by the cage~\ 

I've tied a little ribbon on his neck 

To tell him by. — I think he knows me, 

Robert. 
He lets me take him out of the cage and 

talk 
To him. And he turns his head and looks. 

And once 
He sang to me sitting right on my finger. 
O how I wish my Mama-Queen could see 

him! 
They wouldn't let me send him up to her. 
She's sick and ought to have all sorts of 

things 
To comfort her. — Perhaps they'll let me 

send 
My flowers to her. Wouldn't you like to 

have 
Them comfort her, Robert, instead of me. 
Because she's sick, you know? 



The Little King 



Robert 

Yes, little King. 

The King 

I do not like to have you call me King. 
They might not let you play with me 

again. . . . 
And then besides it means my Father's dead. 

Robert 

The King is dead, — long live the Little 
King! 

The King 

The night he left he took me on his knee 
And held my hand and made me swear, 

Robert, 
That I'd forgive his people everything 
And not be harsh with them when I grow up. 
And don't you think that that was like Our 

Savior? 
Next day my Mother helped me pray for 

him; 
But when I tried to think of the good God, 
I couldn't think of anyone but Papa. 
Why did they kill him, Robert? 



The Little King 49 

Robert 

Mother says 
Because their hearts are bronze. 

The King 

I told my Father, 
The day I lost Moufflet, my dog, thie day 
We came to the Temple and the men stuck 

out 
Their tongues and knocked the statue down 

and called 
My Mother names, I told my Father then 
How bad they were. But he said, * No, they 

weren't/ 
He said that they would understand him 

some day 
And find that we were just like them and ask 
Our pardon for the way they treated us. 
You ought to have seen how Mama looked 

at him! 
And then she kissed him. Kissed me, too. 

And she 
Was crying, Robert, for I think she knew 
Better than Papa what was happening. 
There's nobody so wonderful as Mama. 



so The Little King 

Why do they call her names and sing bad 

songs 
About her, when she's good? My Mother's 

good. 
She doesn't hate the people. 

Jeanne 

Shut your mouth, 
Capet, and pay attention! Watch Barelle! 

Barelle 

He will not go, the man will never go ! — 
Hast Thou forgotten us? 

Jeanne 

Don't drag in God. 
Just wait and watch and, when the time 

comes, act. 
You'll learn some day there isn't any God. 
[^They all wait a moment or two, silentl 

The King 

[Whispering, close to Robert^ 
When I was little, Mama had her hair 
Away up high with a hundred waves in it. 
And on the waves were tiny ships, Robert ! 



The Little King 51 

O it was wonderful! She waked me up 
To let me see it. — And I had a sword. 

Jeanne 

[Jumping to her feet^ 

He's coming ! Quick, the both of you, get in 

there! 
{^The boys run into the bedroom, Jeanne 
Marie shuts them in, then sits again and 
sews. Barelle works at the window^ 

Antoine 
[Entering'] 
We want another bottle of that brandy. 

Jeanne 

Here, take it. Drink it up. To hell with 
Queens ! 

Antoine 

What's the son of the she- wolf doing, hey? 
[To Barelle'] 

I'm not supposed to take my eye off him. 
You know. Even asleep, one eye must be 
Propped up and watching him. A pretty job ! 
Where is he? 



52 The Little King 

Jeanne 

Here's your bottle. 

Antoine 

[Brushing her aside and opening the door 
of the bedroom^ 

Come on out 
Of there! 

[Stopping short, then turning savagely^ 
What's this, Barelle? 

Barelle 

What, Citizen? 

Antoine 

They're changing coats! — Barelle, what 
game is this? 

Jeanne 

If brandy makes a muddle in your brain 



Antoine 

Come out here, you two ! 

[The King enters, his coat in his hand^ 

Both of you! 
[Robert follows, cap on but carrying his 
coat} 



The Little King 53 

By God! 

What is this game youVe playing? 

Robert 

Citizen • 



The King 

WeVe playing ball. 

Antoine 

Show me the ball. 

The King 

[Finding it in the pocket of his coat'\ 
It's here. 

Antoine 

[Knocking it out of the King*s hand^ 
Ball in a room that hasn't any light! 
What were you changing clothes for? — tell 
me that! 

The King 

We changed our jackets. He didn't want 

to, Master. 
I made him play a game of masquerade. 



54 The Little King 

Antoine 

The hell you did I 

\_He seizes the King by the throat^ 

Barelle 

, Let him alone ! Hands off ! 

Antoine 

Not hands off ! Heads off ! And yours first, 
Barelle ! 

Jeanne 

Yours second, Antoine ! 

Antoine 

Hold your dirty lip ! 
YouVe In on it ! 

Jeanne 

You lose your head like this 
To-day, you'll lose it good to-morrow. Fool ! 
What do you mean to do? 

Antoine 

Accuse Barelle. 

Jeanne 
And me? 



The Little King 55 

Antoine 

And you — and get ten thousand 
llvres 
For taking care of Capet by myself I 

Jeanne 

Try it and see ! You send me to the scaffold, 
I'll just turn round and take you with me, 

dear. 
You broke the rules, left Capet with Ba- 

relle 
And kept the officer outside. Why that? — 
The reason was a hundred thousand livresl 

Antoine 

What's this? What hundred thousand? 

Jeanne 

[Lifting her bundle from the table and 
letting it drop back clinking^ 
Use your ears. 

Barelle 

I've sixty thousand here In Paris, — ^yours! 
This ring! The Prince of Conde's. Take 
him this. 



^6 The Little King 

He'll pay the rest. Now, sir! your life is 

more 
To you than mine to me. Fve got you there. 
But you can save yours, mine, — and earn, 

besides. 
Another hundred thousand livres. 

Jeanne 

That is^ — 
Besides my hundred thousand? 

Barelle 

Yes. 

Jeanne 

Good God I 

Barelle 

Nobody ever comes who knows the King. 

Jeanne 

And I'll fall sick and we can get away. 

Barelle 

With all the cash you need for all your lives. 



The Little King 57 

Jeanne 

Antoine, that means as much as ten whole 

years 
Of prison and the brat. Go on upstairs I 

Antoine 

You should have let me in on this before. 

Jeanne 

Shut up with your * before ' ! It's * now.' 
Go on! 

That's all you've got to do. Go on up- 
stairs ! 

Antoine 

Well, I don't know. I guess I'd better do it. 

Jeanne 

Here I You're forgetting what you came to 

fetch. 
\^She hands him the second bottle of brandy^ 

Antoine 

{^Brandishing it at Barelle~\ 

I'd like to smash your head, you Royalist! 



58 The Little King 

Barelle 

God knows, my hand would llke- 



Jeanne 

Quit quarrelling, 
ni see if Michers there alone. — He is! 
Go! Go! 

Barelle 

Give me your jacket! Quick, Robert! 
Come ! and be careful, O be careful. Sire ! 

The King 

[^As they put him into Robertas coat'\ 

My little birds, good-bye. Good-bye, Robert. 

My Mother-Queen will bless you when I tell 

her. — 
O shall I see green trees again and sky 
Spread out? — O think of it — the sky spread 

out! 

Robert 

And lots of birds ! 

Barelle 

Good-bye, Robert. 



The Little King 59 

Robert 

Good-bye. 

Barelle 

You are a brave and darling boy, Robert. 

Robert 

Good-bye, good-bye. 

[Barelle kisses him^ then turns to the Ktng'\ 

Barelle 

Be quiet now and follow. 
Be careful. 

The King 

I'll be careful. I know how. 

Robert 
Good-bye. 

Antoine 

shut your mouth I 

[Wiffi a sudden blow he knocks Robert to 
the floor'l 

The King 

[Standing stock stilt] 

1 cannot go. 



6o The Little King 

I had not thought of that. — I cannot go. 
You are too little. 

Jeanne 

I '11 be here. I'll take 
His part. 

The King 

You can't, you can't, when Master — 

Nol 

Antoine 

Go while the going's good. You're wasting 

time. 
[Antoine lurches out and is heard calling^ 
I've found the brandy, Friend. She tried 

to hide it. 

The King 

O no, Robert I the people over there. 

If they should find me gone, would punish 

you 
And maybe kill you. 

Robert 
{Rising^ 

But they won't find out. 



The Little King 6i 

I'll turn my head away and I won't talk 
To them. 

The King 

HeUl make you talk. He'll make 
you sing. 
And when he has you here alone, Rob- 
ert ! 

I had not thought of that. I cannot go. 

Barelle 

They'll soon find out who Robert Is • 



Jeanne 

What's this? 

Barelle 

They'll think that he was used against his 

will, 
Without his knowing, — and they'll let 
him go. 

The King 

Once you are here, they never let you go. 
O no, Robert, give me my coat, take yours ! 
[He slips off Robertas coat] 



62 The Little King 

Jeanne 

You little chump, keep on that coat I Behave 
Yourself ! You're stubborn as your mother. 

The King 

Ami? 

Robert 

Please, little King, please, please! 

Barelle 

Your Majesty! 

The King 

[Resisting Barelle* s attempts to put the coat 

back on him^ 

I will not go. You cannot make me go. 

Robert could never stand it as I can. 

A King can stand — O more than anyone I 

Jeanne 

Here, hold him. Citizen. Bring him your 
cap, 

Robert. Come now, Capet, behave your- 
self! 



The Little King 63 

The King 

\_Still resisting the coat, and throwing the cap 

down^ 

And then, besides, I've thought of some- 
thing else. 

You might save me and not my Mother- 
Queen. 

She might be left here all alone upstairs. 

Jeanne 

She's not upstairs, you little whining fool. 
They should have killed you too and saved us 

trouble, 
You with your mother, the whelp with the 

she- wolf ! 

Barelle 
O shame! 

The King 

My Mother-Queen? 

Jeanne 

To-day at noon. 
You heard the bells, Capet, and drank her 
health ! 



64 The Little King 

Barelle 
Great God! 

Robert 

[Taking the other hoy*s hand^ 
Poor little King! 

The King 

It is not true. 
You wish to make me go. It is not true. 
If it were true, you would have told me then. 
I will not go and leave my Mother-Queen. 
I will not go. 

Jeanne 

Tell him it's true and get 
Him out of here. We haven't time to fool 
Away like this. 

Barelle 

[Tenderly, gravely^ 

Your Majesty, it's true. 

The King 

My Mama-Queen? 



The Little King 6^ 

Barelle 

Is with your father, Sire. 
She died to-day, as brave as she had lived. 
They would not let her say good-bye to you. 

Robert 

Poor little King! 

The King 
[With a sob] 

She isn't dead! no, no, 
She isn't dead. My Mama isn't dead. 

Barelle 

Be brave, your Majesty, as she was brave. 
A man on horseback told me what she said. 
She said: 'I was a Queen and you de- 
throned me. 
I was a wife and you have killed my husband. 
I was a mother and you tear my children 
Away from me. Only my blood is left. 
Make haste to shed it. And be satisfied.' 

The King 

O she was brave, my Mother, wasn't she! 
I'm going to be like Mother, 



66 The Little King 

Robert 

Little King! 

Barelle 

Then, don't you see, you owe it to your 

kingdom 
And to her memory to come with me? 
That will be brave, your Majesty. 

Jeanne 

Go on. 
Flatter him up I Perhaps he'll take to that. 
I never saw such people as these Capets. 

Barelle 

And you shall have your sword again and 

come 
Some day to punish murderers. 

The King 

O sir, 
I promised both my Father and my Mother 
Never to hurt the people. But I'm not 
Afraid of them. My Father said to me 
He could not run away from them and be 
' A coward. That was why we all came back. 



The Little King 67 

And I should be ashamed to run away 
And not be like my Father and my Mother. 

Jeanne 

Shut up his talk! Get busy while there's 

time! 
Take him I 

[Barelle and Jeanne Marie try again to 
force Robertas jacket on the King, who strug- 
gles against them^ 

The King 

No, you shall not. 

Barelle 

[Passionatelyl 

Your Majesty! 
{^They lead him into the anteroom, the King 
contesting every inch of the way~\ 

Barelle 

For God's sake! 

Jeanne 

Little fooll 

The King 

I will not go. 



68 The Little King 

Barelle 

If you betray us, it will be the end. 

The King 

won't you please obey me? Won't you 

please? — 
\_He breaks away, Barelle follows and lays 
hold of him again. But, with a sudden royal 
gesture, he checks Barelle in the centre of 
the roo'm~\ 

1 am the King of France. Obey me, sir, 
And take your hands away. 

Barelle 

God's will be done. 

Jeanne 

[ Trying to pass Barelle"] 
God's nothing! It's the antic of a child! 
[Barelle holds Jeanne Marie back while the 
King helps Robert into the washerboy's coat^ 

The King 

But O be sure, be sure you come again! 
-The Simons will not dare to tell on you, 



The Little King 69 

For I should tell on them. Take all the 
clothes ! 

{^Picking up Jeanne Marie's bundle from the 

table~\ 

Take these as well, Robert. And look in- 
side 

And you will find a keepsake there from me. 

Jeanne 

Not on your life ! 

The King 

You wish me then to tell? 
[Jeanne Marie stands back glowering while 
he gives Robert the bundle. Then he takes 
the lily from his bouquet and hands it to 
Barelle~\ 
This lily is much better than the pear. 

Barelle 

I ask you, Sire, to let her keep the money. 
She would be kinder. 

The King 

Take them all, Robert. 
[Barelle bows and hides the lily in his 
breast^ 



70 The Little King 

Jeanne 

You little cur — ^you devil out of hell! 

[Hearing the stairs creak^ 

The officer! 

[Barelle crosses to the window and seals the 

next to the last opening'^ 

Antoine 

[Entering^ at the big door, heavy with 
brandy, his finger on his lips^ 

He's on his way downstairs. 

Barelle 

It does not matter now. My work is done. 

Antoine 

[Looking closely at Robert^ 
Your work is done, you say? What do you 
mean ? 

Barelle 

All but one stone. 

Antoine 

One stone? 



The Little King 71 

The King 

Good-bye, my friends. 
[Barelle kneels and kisses the King^s hand. 
The King will not let Robert kneel, hut puts 
an arm about him and kisses him on the 
lips. Robert goes out with the basket at the 
big door^ 

Barelle 

Surely you cannot punish him for this ! 
What has he done but shown that tyranny 
May go by any name and wear red caps, — 
While loving comradeship may dwell in 

kings ! — 
Father, forget not he's a little boy I 
[Jeanne Marie hurries Barelle out and closes 
the door after him^ 

Jeanne 

He wouldn't go. 

Antoine 

You rotten little snake! 

Jeanne 

He gave the money back. He said he'd tell. 



72 The Little King 

The King 

You cannot buy and sell the King of France. 

Antoine 

But we can make him pay ! 

[He goes to the cage of canaries and starts 

to bring a chair down over i^] 

The King 
[In the way'] 

What are you doing? 

Antoine 

I'm smashing up your royal bird that pipes 
' The March of the King. ' 

The King 

But not the other birds I 
O not the one ! 

Antoine 

Which one? 

The King 

— that sings to us I 
The little one! The ribbon's on his neck I 



The Little King 73 

Antoine 

So that's your toy! — your kingdom in a 

cage! 
And orders, marks! We'll see! 

The King 

The ribbon's red! — 
He's my republican canary, Master! 

Antoine 

Favorite of the King, come out here, you! 
[He thrusts his hand into the cage and takes 
out the bird] 

The King 

O give him, give him to me! 

Antoine 

There he Is. 
[He wrings the bird^s neck and throws its 
dead body on the floor] 

The King 

[Kneeling and taking the bird up tenderly] 
O listen to me, please, dear Heavenly 
Father! 



74 The Little King 

Jeanne 

Don't mention God again! — There is no 
God. 

The King 

— Help me to be as brave as Mother was. 

Antoine 

Get up. Give that to me. Here, Jeanne 

Marie, 
[Taking the bird from the King, he tosses 
it to herl 

Cook it for supper. 

[^He jerks the King to his feet and points 
to the red cap on the floor^ 

Now pick up that cap! 

Jeanne 

And put it on again! 

\^The King faces them, not moving^ 

Antoine 

You dirty pup! 

Jeanne 

You put that on! — or else we'll punish you 



The Little King 75 

Worse than you've ever dreamed. The 
window's sealed, 

Capet. And now we'll seal this door, and 
this, 

And cut a little hole here in the middle, 

And then hand in your food to you and leave 

You in the dark, all day, all night, forever. 

You've heard the rats here in the walls? 
They'll all 

Come out, when you can't see them, and 
they'll eat 

Your food. And then they'll eat your fin- 
gers, Capet. 

And bugs and worms and snakes will come 
and wait 

For you to go to sleep. — Pick up that cap. 

Antoine 

Pick up that cap. 

l^The King moves toward it and quietly 
stands on it, facing them. Antoine crosses 
and sets the last stone in the window, darken- 
ing the stage so that only shadows are seen^ 

Jeanne 

[^Pointing, trying to laugh^ 



76 The Little King 

Behold the little King! 
\_Then they open the big door and close it 
behind them, and leave him standing in the 
darkness^ 

CURTAIN 






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